Knee-rest



(No Model.)

A. J. THEIRING.

Y KNEE REST. No. 568,380. Patented Sept. 29, 1896.

8\ #A 'il ff. 4l R 1r 7 5% UNITED `STATES PATENT OFFICE..

ANDREW J. THEIRING, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

KNEE-REST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 568,380, dated September 29, 1896.

Application filed January 1l, 1896. Serial No. 575,089. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW J. THEIEING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful KneeRest; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, attention being called to the accompanying drawings, with the reference-numerals marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to adevice intended to receive and support the knees of persons while occupied in work requiring a kneeling position. This device may be used by persons while laying carpets, cleaning floors, carpenters and mechanics while putting down flooring, especially such consisting of inlaid work or mosaic requiring slow and tedious work, and during many other similar occupations which have to be executed in a stooped or kneeling position. The advantage derived from its use manifests itself particularly in two ways, which form the leading features of this invention. The first feature is a soft support for the knees to reston, preventing the same from coming in contact with the hard floor, and being at a height so limited as to permit working thereon by a person in a stooped or kneeling position. The other is a construction which permits the person while in such kneeling position and close to the Hoor to shift from side to side, to turn completely around, or to otherwise change position, as the condition of the work requires, without having to do it on the knees.

In the following specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims, is found a full description of the invention, its use, parts, and construction, which latter is also illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of the device, showing manner of its use. Figs. 2 and 3 are longitudinal sections of the same, each slightly modified and showing different forms of supporting-bolster upon which the knees rest. Fig. 4: is a top view of the device complete, and Fig. 5 is a similar view of the supportingbase and ball-bearings.

7 is the supporting-base, preferably of cast metal, which rests directly on the'floor. It supports a bolster 8, upon which the knees of the person using it rest, such bolster being rotatably supported to permit a person to shift, turn, or otherwise change his position without having to raise up or without doing such directly on the knees. The combined height of the two is so limited as to permit a person, while in a stoopin g position and resting with his knees thereon, to reach conveniently to the iioor for the purpose of working thereon. This bolster has a frame 9, which serves to preserve the shape of the same and provides that part by which the bolster is supported on base 7. A pivot 10, forming in Fig. 2 a part of the base and in Fig. 3 a part of frame 9 and entering a correspondingly-sized opening in the opposite part, serves to hold frame 9, witha bolster 8, to a central position during their rotation. Outside of this limited central support, frame 9 rests on balls 11, which are carried in the upper surface of base 7 and may occupy grooves 12 therein. They reduce the friction and permit a free motion of frame 9, which carries the bolster. These latter two parts are held on base 7 in a suitable manner., as, for instance, by a pin 13, passing through pivot 10 above frame 9, as shown in Fig. 2, or by lugs 14 on the under side of frame 9 and working in a groove 15 in the side of the base, as shown in Fig. 3. In this latter figure the bolster is shown in form of a pad, while in Fig. 2 it consists of a strip of suitable material, like canvas, leather, sheet-iron, dac., and which is stretched across frame 9. It may be secured at its ends in auy'suitable way, or, as shown, by being held between the upturned ends 16 of frame 9 and blocks 1'7,

which are screwed against these upturned ends. These latter are continued upward to form guards 18 to prevent the garment of the person using the device from dropping onto the floor where such is undesirable.

Having described my invention, I claim as new- 1. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a supporting-base to rest on the iioor and a narrow bolster rotatably carried thereon, the latter adapted to support the knees of a person while in a stooping IOO position and the combined height of the two being so limited as to permit work on the iioor while the person is in such position.

2. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a supporting-base to rest on the floor, a frame 9 rotatably supported thereon and a narrow bolster carried by frame 0, the latter adapted to support the knees of a person while in a stooping position and the combined height of the whole device being so limited as to permit work on the Vfioor while the person is in such position.

In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a supporting-base to rest on the floor, a narrow bolster rotatably carried thereon, adapted to support the knees of a person while in a stooping position, balls interposed between the two and means to hold the bolster to the base during its adjustment, the height of the whole device being so limited as to permit work on the iioor by a person while in such stooping position.

i. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a supporting-base to rest on the iloor, a frame 9 rotatably supported thereon, balls interposed between the two, a narrow bolster carried by frame 9, adapted to support the knees of a person while in a stooping position and means to hold the rotating parts in position on the stationary base during adjustment, the height of the whole device being so limited as to permit work on the iloor by a person while in such stooping position.

5. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a supporting-base to rest on the iioor, a frame 9 rotatably supported thereon, balls interposed between the two, a narrow bolster carried by frame 9 adapted to support the knees of a person while in a stooping position and a pivot about which the rotating parts revolve and whereby they are held in position on the stationarybase, the height of the whole device being so limited as to permit work on the floor by a person while in such stooping position.

G. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a supporting-base to rest on the iioor and having a groove 15 in its outer side, a frame 9 rotatably supported thereon, balls interposed between the two, a narrow bolster carried by frame 9, adapted to support the knees of a person while in a stooping position and lugs I4 depending from the under side of frame 9 and entering groove l5 to hold the rotating parts in position on the base duringA adjustment, the height of the whole device being so limited as to permit work on the floor by a person while in such stooping position.

7. In a device for the purpose described, the combination of a supporting-base to rest on the floor, a narrow bolster pivotally carried thereon, adapted to support the knees of a person while in a stooping position and secured in position thereto in a manner to per mit its adjustment in a horizontal plane and lugs 1S projecting upwardly from the ends thereof, the height of the whole device being so limited as to permit work on the floor by a person while in a stooping position.

8. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a supporting-base 7 adapted to rest on the iloor, the frame 9 carrying a narrow bolster adapted to support the knees of a person while in a stooping position and balls interposed between the two, being earried in the top of base 7 where each ball oecupies a separate groove therein and means to hold the frame to the base during its adjustment.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW .'l. rIII`EIRII\IG.

lVitnesses:

C. SPENGEL, A. L. ILnvn. 

